“Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari has been apprehended in Mumbai by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad, following allegations of delivering a hate speech. The action was initiated by the Junagadh Police after a video of the inflammatory speech circulated widely on social media.
Currently held at Ghatkopar police station, Mufti Salman has garnered support from numerous followers who gathered outside the police station, causing a traffic standstill in the vicinity. Despite the mounting pressure, Mufti Salman urged his supporters to refrain from protesting, asserting his innocence and cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
Addressing the situation, Wahid Sheikh, the lawyer representing Maulana Mufti Salman Azhari, claimed that his client is willing to cooperate with the authorities in connection to the case. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the police response, citing a lack of information regarding the allegations. According to Sheikh, around 35-40 plainclothes policemen visited Mufti Salman Azhari’s residence in the morning without disclosing their purpose, later revealing the registration of a case under Section 153 B (promoting enmity between different religious groups) in Gujarat.
The alleged hate speech was reportedly delivered during an event held on an open ground near the ‘B’ division police station in Junagadh on the night of January 31.”
